Friction-clutch.



PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

J. 1). MAXWELL. FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1904.

IN VEJV' T OR.

rnvrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN n AxwELL. 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed July 25, 1904. Ser al Ila-FY7825.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN D. MAx- WELL, a citizen of the United States of Amer- I ica, residing at Detroit, the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to vide means insuring the ready release of the clutch and to provide the advantages of the particular construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure his a longitudinal section of a device embodying the invention and showing the same partially in side elevation Fig. 2,

an end elevation of the same with parts broken away to show the construction; Fig. 3, a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line a; a" of Figs. 1 and 3, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a clutch embodying a modified form of shifting mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, Ais the drivingshaft, which may be the shaft of the engine, and B is the driven shaft, to which motion is transmitted from the driving-shaft by the clutch. The two shafts are supported in line with each other with their ends abutting, and the driving-shaft is provided with a reduced end A of the same diameter as the driven shaft and a reduced portion-A adjacent thereto, to receiX e a yoke C, rigidly secured thereon by a key 0 and consisting of a hub portion havin a bore to fit the reduced portion of the shaft, and two outwardly and oppositely extendin arms C, having their outer ends C extended longitudinally of the shaft.

A facing-disk D is provided with an ex;

tended integral axial hub or sleeve D, whichis bored out the length-of the end A of the driving-shaft to loosely fit and turn upon a bushing-ring E, sleeved on said end, and is extended and bored to fit the ends of the driven shaft, to which it is rigidlysecured by is aseries of discous f riction plates F and a facing-disk G, and secured in suitable seats formed in the hubare" the feathers F, engaging notches F on said plates and disk G, so that the same are attached to the hub to turn therewith, but free .to move longitudinally thereof, the disk G being opposed to the disk D, with the plates between and all beingof the same'diameter and of lesser dithe key D Loosely mounted on the hub D am'eter than the. distance between the ends (l of the yoke, whichproject across the edges of the disks and plates at. opposite sides thereof.

Interposed between the disks D and G and their adjacent plates F and also between said plates is a series of driving discous plates H,

each having an axial opening of such diame.

ter that it may be slipped over the hub D outside-the feathers F and turn freely thereon, said plates being of larger diameter than the plates -F and each provided with a notch gitudinally-extending ends C of the yoke C, so that when said yoke is turned by the driving-shaft, to which it is secured, the arms will by their engagement with the notches H turn the plates H independently of the plates F. Strips F are secured by screws to the outer ends of the arms" C to prevent the outer plate H from becoming disengaged from the arm when the clutch is released. In eachof these driving-plates H is formed a series of openings or holes H in each of which is secured a disk H of abrasive or other suitable material, which will cause the plate H to adhere to or will create a greater friction between it and the adjacent plate F than a plain plate would create when the outer facing-diskG is moved longitudinally of the shaft H at each side to receive and engage the lonto force the disks into contact with each other.

To move the disks longitu inally of the shaft and bring them into frictional contact with each other, the end of the hub D outside the feathers F is screw-threaded to receive an internally-screw-threaded collar J provided with outwardly-extending ears J,

between which the levers K are pivoted intermediate their ends, with one end of each bearing a ainst the outer face of the facingdisk G an the other end provided with a roll to said lever adjacent to the rolls to hold the 2 o crating-lever (not shown) may be attached.

t ereto to shift the same longitudinally. Springs K are attached at their opposite ends rolls against the cam, and a set-screw M is provided in the collar J to hold said collar in any position to which it may be turned, said collar being adjusted toward and from the disk G to cause the levers K to engage said disk with greater or lesser force when rocked on their pivots by the cam to engage the same.

I In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the hub D is extended and its outer end screw-threaded to receive a plain collar N, and sleeved on the hub between said collar and the disk G firmly press the disks into frictional contact,

and a hub P on the disk is provided with a groove for the attachment of an operating-1e ver to hold said friction-disk away from the plates against the action of said spring to allow the plates to run free.

When the cam member L is moved away from the clutch, thus allowing the springs K to turn the levers K on their pivots arid move their ends out of contact with the disk G, the springs I will operate to spread the plates apart and allow the plates F to turn independently of the plates H, and therefore When the driving-shaft A is rotated, together with the yoke D, which is secured thereto, the plates H will be turned freely by the engagement of the yoke with the notches in said plates, and no motion will be transmitted to the shaft B; but when the cam member is moved inward, thus forcing the outer ends of the levers outward, their inner ends will force the disks and plates toward the yoke and the plates H will be gripped between the plates F, so that the motion of the driving-shaft will be transmitted through the yoke, plates I-I,'plates F, and feathers F to the driven shaft B. This arrangement of plates ives a multiplied frictional surface in a smal space, and by filling the openings in the plates H With frictional material their holding power is greatly increased, this insuring the positive and prompt action of the clutch. The arrangement of the plates and facing-disks also permits the use of the springs I, which immediately upon the release of the levers K by the cam member spread the disks apart, and thus insure the prompt release of the clutch, and the form and construction of parts is such as to make a simple and cheap device. Y

Having thus fully described my invention,

I what I claim is ment with their ends abutting, a facing-disk having an axial sleeve secured to the end of one shaft and forming a socket to receive the end of the opposite shaft, a series, of discous plates mounted on said sleeve at one side of said disk, a longitudinally-movable facingdisk'at the other side of said plates, a feather secured to the sleeve and engaging notches in the plates and movable disk, a yoke secured to the shaft opposite that to which the sleeve is secured and havin outwardly-extending arms provided with Iateral ends extending longitudinally over said plates and disks, a second series of discous plates mounted on the sleeve between the first plates and disks and free to turn thereon and provided with notches in their peripheries to engage the ends of the yoke, flat springs secured to one face of each of the plates of the second series outside the peripheries of the first series and each engaging the adjacent plate of the series at its ends to force said plates apart, and means for moving the plates of one series into frictional contact with those of the other against the action of said springs.

2. In a clutch, the combination with a driving and a driven shaft, arranged in axial alinement with their ends abutting, a sleeve keyed to one end of the driven shaft and forming a socket to receive the end of the driving-shaft, a facing-disk integral with said sleeve, a series of discous plates on the sleeve at one side of the disk, a movable facing-disk on the sleeve at the other side of said plates,

feathers secured to the sleeve and engaging notches in the plates and movable disk, a second series of discous plates of a greater diameter than the first series interposed between the same and havin notches in their peripheries, a yoke secure to the driving-shaft and having outwardly-extending arms provided with ends extending. longitudinally of the shaft to engage the notches in said, plates, a strip secured to the end of each arm to hold the plates from being disenga ed therefrom, flat springs secured to each 0 the plates of the second series near their peripheries outside of the peripheries of the plates of the first series and each bearing against the adjacent plate in the second series, an internallyscrew-threaded collar screwed upon the end of the sleeve and provided with outwardlyextending ears, levers pivoted intermediate their ends between said ears with their ends in enga ement with the movable facin disk, anda c utch member movable longitu inally on the driven shaft to engage the opposite ends of said levers and force the same outward.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JONATHAN D. MAXWELL. Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, THoMAs G. LONGSTAFF. 

